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The Week in Review news piece summarizes and highlights the most important gaming related news and rumors over the past week. This weekly article will keep you plugged in and in-tune. This week saw the gaming industry get saddled with a couple of threatening bits of legislation from Pennsylvania and Utah. For starters, the Pennsylvania state legislature has been debating whether or not a 5% tax should be levied on the sales of violent games with proceeds used to fund a parental education program. This seems somewhat reasonable, except that new taxation – especially in an attempt to curb consumer choice – is always suspect. But, even more scary is the fact that HB 353 – the bill that heaps stiff penalties upon retailers of M rated games – has passed in the Utah state senate and is headed to the house to ratify a few of the changes made by the higher legislature. That’ll speed up the development of digital download delivery. On a brighter note, the April edition of GameInformer Magazine shipped and subscribers were treated to a tantalizing front cover of a lithe-looking Big Sister for BioShock2 . Apparently, these new enemies won’t be the lumbering hulks we’re used to. Rather, Big Sisters look much more agile. What’s more, the familiar drill of death has been shunned for an elongated implement resembling a pole, harpoon, or spear gun. Capcom also let us know that the Wii will be getting a sequel to The Umbrella Chronicles, entitled The Darkside Chronicles. This game will be a light-gun, on-rails shooter like its predecessor, but this time the Umbrella Corp won’t be the featured enemy. Also, two classic Resident Evil titles will be getting a Wii-make: Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0. Nintendo also made some noise with DS this week. For starters, it was announced that the DS has surpassed the 100 million units shipped mark. Additionally, the Osaka Board of Education has passed a motion to use the Nintendo DS in classrooms as an educational tool. Middle and elementary school students in ten different Osaka schools will receive a DS handheld along with educational software in January of 2010. We also learned that Gears of War 2 is getting its third title update that will fix a bunch of exploits and revamp the ranking system with one that is experience-based. The update will be available for download on March 24, 2009. Also, the Snowblind Map Pack – a DLC pack that gives players access to four multiplayer maps – will be available via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on March 31, 2009. On the rumor front, it looks like Diablo III may be heading to retail earlier than expected. Sources place the opening of the beta test at September 11 th and the tentative launch date as December 24, 2009. Along with these unconfirmed dates came the prospective PC and Mac minimum requirements. Click HERE to see what those are. Finally, According to a Twitter post left by BBC presenter Jonathan Ross as picked up by VG247, Fable III s currently in early stages of development. Ross confirmed work on the title when he proclaimed, “Goodnight all. Must go to bed. Got asked to do voice in Fable 3 tonight. Subarashi. Oyasuminasia. Woss out.” Thanks so much everyone and we will see you next week! |